Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent initiative under the ‘Create in India’ program, aimed at accelerating the global presence of Indian cinema and content, has garnered praise from industry heavyweights Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar. In his final ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio address of 2024 on December 29, PM Modi revealed that India will host the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) for the first time in February 2025.
Elaborating on the summit, the Prime Minister explained that it will serve as a global platform for Indian creative talent, fostering international collaborations and highlighting India’s potential as a hub for world-class content creation. He compared the event to global forums like the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, with leaders from the media and entertainment industry worldwide expected to attend. The summit will also bring together content creators, social media influencers, and creative professionals from around the world.
“This Summit is a significant step towards making India a hub for global content creation,” PM Modi stated in his address.
The event will highlight India’s progress in animation, gaming, entertainment technology, and both regional and mainstream cinema. He encouraged creators, artists, and professionals from Bollywood, regional cinema, TV, animation, gaming, and entertainment technology to be part of the WAVES Summit by registering for the event.
This initiative has been met with praise from numerous industry leaders, including global icons Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar.
Shah Rukh Khan shared a video of the announcement on X (formerly Twitter), calling it “an occasion that champions and fosters creativity.” He expressed his eagerness to participate, adding that he looks forward to WAVES, a summit that will celebrate the Indian film and entertainment industry and its role in both the economy and as a soft power.
Akshay Kumar also commended PM Modi’s vision for such a global platform, calling it “a wonderful idea” and expressing hope that the WAVES 2025 summit would serve as an exceptional forum for the entertainment industry to grow together.
Other celebrities, including Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Ritesh Sidhwani, and Ektaa Kapoor, have also welcomed the initiative.
The five-day World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit will take place at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi from February 5-9, 2025.
